Edamame Salad

Usually we eat edamame salted in the pods as a tasty snack or side for sushi. But here’s a fun, fusion style way to eat this legume: in an Edamame Salad! This salad mixes edamame with fresh, crunchy veggies like corn and cucumber, crumbly feta cheese and a tangy red wine vinaigrette. It makes a burst of fun and fresh flavors that’s great as a side dish, or a protein-packed salad for lunches. It’s a fun spin on the traditional way to eat edamame, and we’re here for it! Here are a few tips on how to put it together.

Ingredients for edamame salad

This edamame salad is a versatile side dish or lunch salad that adds a punch of flavor to any plate! Pairing this legume with Latin-style flavors like cumin and cilantro is unexpected and adds a satisfying intrigue to each bite. Here’s what you’ll need:

Shelled edamame: find shelled edamame in the frozen section. This is the biggest tip for this recipe: you don’t want to have to shell your own! Olive oil Kosher salt Garlic Red wine vinegar Hot sauce Cumin Canned corn: we like using canned corn in this salad and it makes it work in any season! You’re welcome to use cooked fresh corn as well. English cucumber Red onion Feta cheese crumbles Cilantro

Cooking the edamame

The only step of this recipe with any technique is cooking the edamame! It comes frozen, and you’ll have to both thaw it and cook it just a bit to get it ready for the salad. But don’t go too far: otherwise it will become greenish brown and lose that attractive color! Here are a few tips for cooking the edamame:

Rinse it first: Rinse the frozen edamame under warm water in a strainer, then shake off excess liquid. This helps to defrost the frozen vegetable so you don’t have to apply too much heat. Cook 2 minutes (don’t go too long!): Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the edamame and salt and cook for 2 minutes until warmed through but still bright green. Don’t overcook it, or the edamame will turn greenish-brown. Add garlic: Here’s the best part: remove from the heat and stir in the grated garlic. Give it a good stir until it’s fully integrated, because grated garlic can clump together.

Once you’ve cooked the edamame, simply throw it together with the vegetables and the vinaigrette. Done!

Storage info

This edamame salad stores well. Store it in a sealed container for up to 3 days refrigerated. If necessary, refresh the flavors over time with a pinch of salt or drizzle of olive oil; it’s natural flavor salads to become slightly less salty during refrigeration.

Ways to serve edamame salad

Got your salad together? We love making a big batch for lunches and dinner sides for the week, or it’s great paired with chicken or fish. Here are a few ideas:

Summer potluck side dish With fish or seafood like Blackened Salmon, Grilled Salmon, Easy Baked Trout Blackened Tilapia, or Blackened Shrimp As a lunch salad With vegetarian mains like BBQ Tofu or Black Bean Burgers As part of a bowl meal like Easy Power Bowls or one of these Vegan Bowls